Chris Turner is calling on his players to prove their worth after his Hartlepool side's defeat on Friday, which now sees them bottom of the league.

POOL'S 2-1 defeat at Rushden & Diamonds was their fifth away loss this season, a contrast to last term when Pool won nine games on the road.

An own goal from Micky Barron and a Caleb Folan header cancelled out Gordon Watson's goal.

Pool only have one home game in the next four and Turner knows his side have to start finding a winning formula if they are to stand a chance of repeating their feat of reaching the play-offs last season.

HE pinned the blame for Friday's defeat on slack defending: "It is the manner in which we are losing that concerns me. We are not far from getting it right - but we have to stop giving away sloppy goals."

Barron side-footed Jon Brady's cross into his own net for the first goal, but Turner was fuming at the homer side's second.